Jewel of the Aisle/Transcript
JEWEL OF THE ISLE Storyboard by Dave Smith Art Direction by Don Shank Directed by Randy Myers & Craig McCracken (Opening shot: the city skyline at night.) Narrator: The city of Townsville! (Camera tilts down toward a jewelry shop.) Not exactly the best place for a jewelry store. (The front window smashes out, and a figure jumps through to the sidewalk. An alarm goes off.) Narrator: See what I mean? (Ducking into an alley, the thief—a short, squat fellow in a knit cap—holds up a large jewel and looks at it greedily while police cars speed past on the street, already on the search for him as soon as the alarm rang. He runs out once he's sure the coast is clear, but stops short after a few steps.) Narrator: But it’s not exactly the best place for crooks either. (The girls are floating in front of him, looking quite displeased with the situation.) Narrator: See what I mean? Thief: Aw, fudge! (He runs into the street and is hit by a passing car. His head gets stuck in the windshield. The car speeds away, and something is flung onto the sidewalk—the driver. Side view of the thief, now in the driver’s seat and gunning it into a tunnel. We then see him skid out and crash through the guardrail on a curve overlooking a cliff. He is thrown from the car, tumbling down a rocky slope. Cut to a train station. He bounces off the roof and lands on a passing train. When it reaches a bridge, he jumps into the river and starts swimming. A fisherman hooks something and begins to reel it in, but is promptly knocked out of his boat by the thief, who climbs in and speeds off.) (The boat hits some rocks and he is thrown over the bow, flying into a roller rink. Inside, the organist plays skating music as the thief goes around and around, trying to keep his balance. Quick cut to the roof. He emerges from a doorway and continues rolling until he gets to the edge, where he jumps across to the next rooftop. He stops and looks around—no pursuers in sight—and raises his arms in triumph. Quick shot of the building he is standing on. It has a sign that says “GENERALLY FOOD CEREAL INC.” and bears a logo similar to that of General Mills.) (Close-up of the thief as he rolls away slowly, looking pleased with himself. Again he stops short when he finds himself face to face with the girls again, who have managed to either keep up with him, or were just waiting for him as soon as he fled from them. He laughs nervously, but is interrupted by a crackling noise. Cut to his feet, which are on a skylight that is giving way. Camera shifts to behind the girls, and after a long moment, the thief drops out of sight in a crash of glass.) (Inside, we see machinery of various sorts and technicians in white coats walking everywhere. The thief falls in and pops into view, now similarly attired. He pulls his cap off and hides it, trying to blend in. Cut to the broken skylight as the girls fly in, then to a close-up of the thief. The camera pans to each side as he looks back out of the corners of his eyes. Back to the girls.) Buttercup: You may be able to run— Bubbles: You may be able to hide— Blossom: —but we will meet again! (Back to the thief as the girls, having made it clear they won't give up on catching him, take off through the hole, having given up the pursuit, for now. He looks up at it after they are gone. Overhead view of the factory floor, with him standing in the middle of the shot. Scientists continue to walk around, paying no attention to the new member standing still in the middle of the room.) Narrator: Have the Powerpuff Girls actually failed to catch a thief? Is this crook that cunning, that agile? Is this man a true master of thievery? (As he says this, zoom in on the thief in steps, ending with a close-up of him. He produces the jewel from behind his back, kisses it, and begins to walk away. He trips, losing hold of the jewel. The camera follows it as it sails through the air in slow motion and lands in a hopper full of cereal. Pull back quickly to behind the thief, revealing the label on this hopper—“LUCKY CAPTAIN RABBIT KING NUGGETS.” He yells and runs toward it.) Narrator: Nope. Just a lucky son of a gun. (Alternate between shots of several cereal boxes being filled on a conveyor belt and the thief running across the factory, still yelling. He reaches the belt and only stops yelling when he sees the jewel fall into one of the boxes. As the box is carried along, he walks to keep pace with it.) Thief: Oh! (laughing) You’re a bad, bad baby! Runnin’ away from Daddy. But now you’re safe again. (The box moves through a steel hatch that closes after it. The thief, still flush with his success at finding his loot, fails to notice this for a moment. When he does, he starts yelling all over again. He forces his way through a nearby door and looks into the room. Pull back quickly to show it full of conveyor belts loaded with sealed boxes of cereal and ceiling-mounted robotic arms carrying more boxes. Yelling, panting, and gibbering, the thief rushes in among the machinery. He is sucked into a pneumatic tube and whisked into and out of view as the camera pans slowly right. Stop on a forklift holding a crate labeled “MALPH’S.” The crate is hauled away just before the thief is deposited onto the floor where it was. He follows the forklift into the back of a truck also labeled “MALPH’S.” A moment later, it roars off.) (The camera pans quickly to a loading dock. The truck backs into view, and the trailer opens so the forklift can exit—with the thief still chasing on foot. A door closes behind him as he enters the market. Cut to an extreme close-up of what appears to be a mustachioed rabbit in a naval officer’s dress uniform and royal cape, then pull back to reveal this character as the mascot on a box of Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets. Pull back again to show several shelves full of this cereal and the thief standing before them. Extreme close-up of his eyes as he begins to sweat. Pull back to a side view as he screams in frustration, shaking several boxes off the shelf.) (He rips open the first box that falls into his hands and dumps its contents out. Nothing. A second box is given the same treatment, with the same results. Now the thief tears into box after box. Cereal flies everywhere, but no jewel appears. His desperation increases as the empties pile up. Cut to an overhead shot of him, surrounded by shredded boxes and lying on his back, and zoom in to an extreme close-up of his eyes. They dart up for a moment, and we see that there is one box still on the shelf. He jumps up off the floor, knowing he is about to hit the jackpot, and reaches eagerly to claim his booty.) (Before he can get it, though, another hand reaches into view and pulls it away. Camera shifts to show the Professor, completely oblivious to the thief and the mess around him.) Professor: Wow! The last one! This must be my lucky day! (He tosses the box into his cart and pushes it o.c. left. The thief looks after him, dumbfounded. Cut to the Professor, starting his car to drive home. The back seat is full of groceries.) Professor: (laughing) Oh, boy. The girls will sure be happy I got their favorite cereal! (He pulls out of the parking lot and rolls off, the thief hanging onto the back bumper, with the Professor totally oblivious to the extra passenger he's taking home with the groceries. Dissolve to an overhead shot of the suburbs, with the city proper in the background. The girls’ house is visible, and the Professor pulls into the driveway. Cut to him as he carries the groceries inside. The thief pokes his head up over the hood, watching him.) (Inside, we see him looking through a window as the camera pulls back. The Professor has a tray with bowls, milk, and cereal, but the girls take no notice of him—they sit on the floor and stare straight ahead at the TV like zombies.) Professor: Hey, girls! Brought your favorite cereal! Buttercup: Shhhh! Blossom: Watching— Bubbles: —TV. (Cut to behind the thief, who is having a hard time believing any of this.) Thief: The Powerpuff Girls?! You’ve gotta be kidding me! What am I gonna do?! (Inside, the TV is showing a program that features two animal robots—a koala bear and what looks like a large bird, similar to an ostrich.) Bear: (Australian accent) Ostrichman Prime! What are we going to do? Bird (Ostrichman Prime): We will fight, Koalor. We will fight! (It leaps into the air and changes, piece by piece, into a fighting machine in the spirit of the Transformers. Cut to a shot of the show’s title: “MECH-ANIMALS.”) Announcer: Mech-Animals will continue after these messages. (A commercial begins. A boy and a girl are skating through a park.) Boy: Good luck in the contest, Sally. Girl (Sally): Thanks. You too, Peter. (They skate o.c. From behind a bush, the rabbit character on the cereal box pops his head up.) Rabbit: A rollerblading contest? That’s just the sport for me— (Zoom in on the judges’ stand, where a large trophy with a blue ribbon and box of cereal on top can be seen.) Rabbit: (from o.c.) —especially when Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets are the grand prize! (Back to him.) Oh, I can taste it now. Corn crisp castles and ships, with tuna and ruby marshmallow bits! (During this last, tilt up to a thought balloon that appears above his head; the movement puts him out of sight. The items appear, and the balloon then pops. Back to him.) Rabbit: Oh, I need that grand prize! (He pulls off his naval hat and puts on a crash helmet, pads, and skates.) Rabbit: And with this disguise, I’ll be sure to win the contest! (Cut to a half-pipe. The boy, Peter, skates and receives 10’s from the judges. The crowd cheers.) Rabbit: (from o.c.) That’s nothing! Wait until you get a load of me! (During this line, he jumps into the half-pipe and starts doing tricks.) Rabbit: Massive air! (He soars high.) Rail slide! (He goes down the rail.) Cone intimidation! (He skates through a row of traffic cones.) Five-forty! (He spins in the air, but wipes out upon landing due to being wrapped up in his own cape and smashes into the trophy.) Rabbit: (woozily) Did I win? (Close-up of the cereal as Peter yanks it away. Camera pulls back as he speaks.) Peter: Ridiculous Lucky Captain Rabbit King. Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets are for the youth! Rabbit (LCRK): Oh…okay. (Close-up of the cereal being poured; during the following jingle, cut to a kitchen table set for breakfast.) Jingle singers: Corn crisp castles and ships, With tuna and ruby marshmallow bits. Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets! LCRK: (popping head out of box) For the Irish seafaring nobleman in you! (Camera turns around to point over the girls and out the window again. The thief is still watching. The girls are now spooning cereal into their mouths.) Thief: (excitedly) That’s it! (He ducks out of sight.) (The doorbell rings, and the view shifts to outside on the doorstep. The girls open the door, look up toward the camera for a moment, then scream in delight. Camera turns around and slowly up to show LCRK, or an unreasonable facsimile thereof—actually the thief in costume, and a fairly shoddy one at that in his desperate bid to get his jewel back from them and their cereal.) Thief: Yep, it’s me! The character in that commercial you just saw. Lucky Captain—something or another. (Side view of the girls cheerfully dragging him into the house and talking excitedly. When they calm down a bit, they start dancing circles around him.) Girls: (singing) Lucky Captain Rabbit King! Lucky Captain Rabbit King! Lucky Captain Rabbit King! (He stops them.) Thief: All right, cool it down! Cool it down. Now, uh— (clearing throat, impersonating LCRK badly) —listen up. The Captain and Tennille has a headache. (He walks across the room; the camera follows him.) I’m just here for some cereal, then I’ll be on my way. (He reaches for the box; a hand snatches it from him. Cut to Blossom holding it, with Buttercup hovering nearby.) Blossom: You think we’re that stupid? Buttercup: We know you have to try and trick us. (Bubbles pops into view.) Bubbles: Yeah, just like in the commercials! (Side view of the thief in the doorway, with Buttercup at the door.) Buttercup: So don’t come back until you’ve got something good! (She slams the door in his face. A moment later the doorbell rings. She answers it; the thief is still on the doorstep.) Thief: (own voice) Hey, did you guys just see my twin brother? Buttercup: (slamming door) Weak! (Dissolve to the thief sitting on the curb, still in costume.) Thief: Man, this is gonna be harder than I thought. I…I can’t come up with any more tricks! This rabbit suit is all I got! (An old woman walks past behind him.) Old woman: Oh, babysitting is so rewarding. (He stands up. Cut to the girls in the kitchen, eating cereal. We hear a door open.) Thief: (from o.c., higher voice) Yoo-hoo! Girls! (Their eyes pop open. Close-up of the thief, tilting slowly up from his feet. He has on a skirt, blouse, and sweater over his costume, is wearing lipstick on the mustache, and has put on a wig of white hair over the hat and rabbit ears. He uses the high voice for each of his next four lines.) Thief: Your new grandma babysitter is here! (He sits down; the girls eye him suspiciously.) Bubbles: Gee, Grandma Babysitter, what big eyes you have! Thief: (pulling box toward himself) All the better to see the cereal. Buttercup: (sarcastically) Gee, Grandma Babysitter, what an interesting mustache you have! Thief: All the better to keep the cereal in my mouth. Blossom: (following Buttercup’s lead) Gee, Grandma Babysitter, you sure do have big rabbit ears! (Long pause.) Thief: All the better to— (Quick cut to the lawn; he is flung out through the front window. The girls float over him.) Girls: Ridiculous Lucky Captain Rabbit King. Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets are for the youth! (Dissolve to an extreme close-up of a rosebush. Two hands reach into view and part the shrubbery, and we see the girls eating cereal on the patio. This is the thief’s perspective.) Blossom: It sure is nice to eat in the garden for a change. Thief: (to himself) A garden party. How precious! (The bushes move back into place. Cut to the street. A man is getting tools out of a van marked “MR. PHAN GARDENS.” Back to the thief’s perspective, sneaking up on him. He turns around and a look of terror comes over his face. Then he throws his arms up to ward off a blow. A punch is thrown as the view shifts back to the patio.) (A riding lawnmower rolls into view, with the thief in the driver’s seat. He is still in his costume, but now wears the gardener’s clothes over it.) Blossom: Hey, there goes Mr. Phan, our gardener. (waving to him as lawnmower stops) Hello, Mr. Phan! Thief: Good morning, Blossom! (closeup of him as he fans himself with his hat) All this gardening stuff makes me thirsty for some of that delicious cereal you’re eating. Buttercup: Well, throw that bad boy in reverse and come have some! Thief: You got it, partner! (He shifts gears and begins to back up, but his cape gets caught in the wheels, choking him. Cut to an overhead shot of him on the ground, his hat shredded and his mustache disheveled. The girls’ heads pop into view one by one.) Blossom: Mr. Phan! Buttercup: Are you— Bubbles: —okay?! Blossom: Wait a minute! (Camera shifts to point straight up at them from the ground. They are not pleased.) Blossom: You’re not Mr. Phan! (The girls smile.) Ridiculous Lucky Captain Rabbit King. (Close-up of him. She continues o.c.) Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets are for the youth! (Dissolve to the exterior of the house. Part of a large orange creature appears at left.) Thief: (from “o.c.”) This has got to work! (Inside, the girls are once again eating cereal. Behind them, outside the window, a cardboard cutout of the Townsville skyline appears, followed by the orange creature. It resembles a large bear with horns and is, of course, the thief in disguise.) Thief: Roar! Roar! (Their eyes pop open, and they instantly dash out to dispatch this threat. The monster’s head is knocked loose in slow motion, and the girls stand over the body.) Blossom: Another one bites the dust! (Pull back to show the thief on the ground, still in his wrecked LCRK costume and with the rest of the monster suit over it. They smile when they recognize him.) Blossom: Ridiculous Lucky Captain Rabbit King. Lucky Captain Rabbit King Nuggets are for the youth! (Dissolve to inside the house, at the window again. Snow starts falling, even though the sky is clear and blue. The girls are chowing down yet again. Outside, the thief now has on a Santa Claus suit over the LCRK costume and is pouring rock salt over the window to simulate snow. After he runs out, he zips around to the side of the garage, where several trash cans are lying around. He climbs onto one to boost himself to the roof, but slips down and gets stuck in it.) (Cut to a pyramid of cans. Tilt up to show the thief standing on the topmost one and wobbling back and forth. The pyramid collapses, and he again falls into a can. Cut to a shot of clear blue sky, with his head bouncing up into view and down again. More of him appears on each bounce. Pull back to show him at the side of the house opposite the garage, jumping on a trampoline. His last jump sends him flying over the house to land in yet another trash can. He's left with a look of disbelief on his face at having missed the roof like that.) (Cut to the roof. A helicopter descends into view and lands. The thief climbs out and goes across to look down the chimney. A squirrel jumps out and lands on his face, and he screams in terror.) Thief: Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it— (He falls off, and the clattering of trash cans is heard. A moment later he lands a second chopper on the roof next to the first one, jumps out, and dives into the chimney headfirst, knowing this time it is clear and no squirrel will leap out and ambush him this time. He gets stuck in this position, though, grunting and straining to squeeze in, then crying in defeat. Pull back to show the house from the street as day fades into evening, with fire and rescue vehicles now parked in front. Cut to the thief, out of the chimney, with the girls and a crowd around him on the lawn. Bubbles is holding the box.) Bubbles: Santa, are you crazy?! It’s summer! Thief: (softly) I’m not Santa. (pulling off beard and red hat, revealing LCRK attire) I’m Lucky Captain Rabbit King! (near tears) All I wanted was some cereal! (crying) All I wanted was some cereal! (Bubbles looks at him, then down at the box, and holds it out. He stops crying.) Thief: You—you really mean it? (She nods and gives him the box.) Oh, sweetest of cereals, you are finally mine! (He pulls off the headgear to show his face. The girls gasp in shock. He tips cereal into his mouth.) Thief: Oh…the corn crisp castles and ships! (He eats more cereal.) Oh…the tuna and ruby marshmallow bits! (He eats again, but is stopped when the jewel falls out of the box and into his mouth. The girls are not particularly thrilled about this new development.) Blossom: Whatcha got there, rabbit? (He has the jewel stuffed in his mouth and bulging out his cheek.) Thief: (muffled) Nothing. (The girls begin thrashing him and stop only when the jewel pops out. Camera follows it as it flies through the air in slow motion and lands in Blossom’s hands. The thief is dumped headfirst into a police car, smashing through the roof, and driven off toward the jail. Cut back to the girls.) Blossom: Stupid unlucky captured robber dude. Jail is for you! (The background for the end shot comes up.) Narrator: So once again the day is saved— (As he names the girls, they appear one by one to form their standard pose.) Narrator: —thanks to green Buttercups, blue Bubbles, and pink Blossoms—the Powerpuff Girls! Part of this delicious, nutritious breakfast. Category:Transcripts